Durbin Calls Out The Rampant Fraud Perpetrated By The Trump Administration

Durbin Calls Out The Rampant Fraud Perpetrated By The Trump Administration

Durbin: "If we're serious about fighting fraud, let's talk about the President, who has more than doubled his net worth since his return to office."

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks in today's Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights hearing on fraud in Minnesota. As Durbin made clear in his opening remarks, today's hearing failed to examine the full breadth of fraud occurring in the United States, including within the Trump Administration. Rather, the Subcommittee used the hearing to further demonize Somali Americans, who have been repeatedly targeted by the Trump Administration and have been the subject of racist attacks by President Trump.

Durbin noted that the Committee should instead focus on abuses committed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in particular the aggressive tactics federal immigration agents have deployed in Minnesota's so-called "Operation Metro Surge."

Key quotes:

"Today's hearing marks another low. In the last month, federal agents shot and killed two of our fellow Americans in Minnesota. Bystanders and journalists have documented numerous abuses of constitutional rights by federal agents in Minneapolis-including warrantless arrests, use of excessive force, racial profiling, surveillance of protestors, and the detention of U.S. citizens and children. This abuse of power, and much-needed oversight of the Trump Administration, should be the focus of this Subcommittee."

"As part of [Republicans'] ongoing need to carry water for the President, they have chosen to embrace his bigoted attacks on Somali immigrants, whom he has called 'garbage.' The shameful title of today's hearing reflects that same approach."

"I want to be clear: fraud is a crime, and it should be prosecuted accordingly. In fact, it was the Biden Justice Department that opened the Minnesota fraud investigation and brought the first prosecution. And it is the Trump Justice Department that has diverted prosecutors and FBI agents away from fraud investigations to focus on the President's mass deportation campaign."

"According to the Cato Institute, American citizens accounted for 95 percent of federal welfare fraud losses from 2013 to 2024-American citizens. So, to suggest that the Somali community is disproportionately responsible for fraud is just not supported by the facts."

"If we're serious about fighting fraud, let's talk about a President, who has more than doubled his net worth since his return to office… Let's talk about fraudsters who have made huge contributions to the President and been rewarded with pardons."

"If we are worried about people breaking the law in Minnesota, our focus should be on the Trump Administration's Department of Homeland Security. Last week, the chief federal district judge in Minnesota-a Republican appointee-noted that ICE violated 96 court orders in Minnesota in January alone-likely more than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence."

"For months, the Administration has targeted my home state of Illinois as part of the reckless attacks they claim are law enforcement operations. In reality, they are not enforcing the law. They are breaking it with their racial profiling, detentions, threats, and use of excessive force."

"Last month, the Administration expanded its attacks by trying to freeze billions of dollars in essential funding for children and families in five Democratic-led states. Illinois was targeted, along with Minnesota, New York, California, and Colorado. Political retribution at the expense of children."

"The Administration provided no support for their allegations that these states were improperly awarding benefits. But the explanation is obvious: this is another act of political retribution by the Trump Administration."

"This hearing is an affront to the people of Minnesota and the memories of those who lost their lives at the hands of immigration officers. The real fraud we should be focused on is the one perpetrated by this President and his acolytes."

Video of Durbin's opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin's opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin's opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

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